irl!" cried 'Rill, with streaming eyes, "Hopewell won't
ever sell it again. I won't let him. And we've got the joyfulest
news, Janice! You have doubled our joy to-day. But already we have
had a letter from Boston which says that our little Lottie is in better
health than ever and that the peril of blindness is quite dissipated.
She is coming home to us again in a short time."

"Joyful things," as Janice said, were happening in quick rotation
nowadays. With the permanent closing of the Lake View Inn bar, several
of the habitues of the barroom began to straighten up. Jim Narnay had
really been fighting his besetting sin since the baby's death. He had
found work in town and was taking his wages home to his wife.

Trimmins was working steadily for Elder Concannon. And being so far
away from any place where liquor was dispensed, he was doing very well.

Really, with the abrupt closing of the bar, the cause of the "wets" in
Polktown rather broke down. They had no rallying point, and, as Walky
said, "munitions of war was mighty scurce."

"A feller can't re'lly have the heart ter _vote_ for whiskey 'nless
ther's whiskey in him," said Walky, at the close of the voting on Town
Meeting Day. "How about that, Cross Moore? We dry fellers have walked
over ye in great shape--ain't that so?"

"I admit you have carried' the day, Walky," said the selectman, grimly.

"He! he! I sh'd say we had! Purty near two ter one. Wal! I thought
ye said once that no man in Polktown could best ye--if ye put yer mind
to it?"

Cross Moore chewed his straw reflectively. "I don't consider I have
been beaten by a man," he said.

"No? Jefers-pelters! what d'ye call it?" blustered Walky.

"I reckon I've been beaten by a girl--and an idea," said Mr. Cross
Moore.

"Wal," sighed Aunt 'Mira, comfortably, rocking creakingly on the front
porch of the old Day house in the glow of sunset, "Polktown does seem
rejoovenated, jest like Mr. Middler preached last Sunday, since rum
sellin' has gone out. And it was a sight for sore eyes ter see Marm
Parraday come ter church ag'in--an' that poor, miser'ble Lem taggin'
after her."

Janice laughed, happily. "I know that there can be nobody in town as
glad that the vote went 'no license' as the Parradays."

"Ya-as," agreed Aunt 'Mira, rather absently. "Did ye notice Marm's new
bonnet? It looked right smart to me. I'm a-goin' ter have Miz Lynch
make me one like it."

"Say, Janice! want anyth